Family Reunited
by DeadGrlSprStr666
Summary: Sam has been in prison for 6 years leaving Bella and his boys on the outside, being released the day before Christmas leaves him to plan something truly special for those he loves, with a little help from Charlie and his brother Brady. Wolf Pack MC universe. Contest Entry for TR's 2012 Home for the Holidays contest


**This was an entry for the 2012 Home For The Holidays contest on Tricky Raven**

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight. Wolf Pack MC, the Packs' MC personas, and all original content are property of the author. I just want to be clear that though this story takes place in the Wolf Pack MC: Alpha Wolf universe, it is NOT a future take from that story, more of a future 'what if', if that makes sense.**

****15 years in the future Bella POV**  
**My eyes open as the grey light of dawn hits my window on December 24th, and my youngest son jumps on me, I hug him tight as I try to adjust, even six years later I'm not used to the empty side of the bed beside me.

Six years my husband has been gone, we had a good life, a seemingly charmed life, and then, our luck had run out. A botched run, associates who weren't as careful as we were, Sam and Paul had been caught red handed laying a beat down on a man in a drug house.

I was three months pregnant with our fourth child, the other three all under 10, when I got the call. By the time John was born, Sam would already have been inside for 6 months.

He doesn't know his father, not really, not the way that our other children know him. All the memories that John has of him are from letters, brief phone calls, and the once monthly visits he gets with him.

The jail has a lot of rules about visits, one visit a week, and only two visitors at a time. Sam's Pack brothers aren't allowed to visit him, though they can write, and he can call them, and Brady, his brother by blood, is good enough to understand that my kids and I need the time with Sam more than he does.

Neither Sam nor Paul would co-operate with Clallam County Sheriff's office. They plead no contest, and the Pack's lawyer Jasper Whitlock had done some pretty fancy legal maneuvers to get them a ten year sentence, and put into a relatively close facility. They could have gotten up to fifteen years apiece, or charged with federal crimes. They were supposed to be out in 5 with good behavior.

Of course things couldn't go that smoothly. Paul got in a fight. Sam saw the shank in the other guys' hand, and jumped in, the other guy lost an eye and 3 years were added on to their sentences.

My 14 year old son, my oldest, steps into my room. Fitting that he, as Sam's namesake looks so much like him, but sometimes it just breaks my heart to look at him. He bites his lip the way I always used to, worrying it between his teeth for a few moments, before saying, "Mom. We should probably start to get ready to go up to Grandpa's place."

I nod, "Alright honey. Can you get Trent and Charlie up for me?"

My life was still blessed. Sam still called the shots, even from jail, and even if he didn't, my sons are Brady's nephews by blood, they're Pack children by birthright, and we'd have been well taken care of regardless.

I set my youngest on the floor, swatting his behind lightly, "Go on, get yourself ready to go up to your Grandpa's cabin, okay Johnny?"

He nods, "okay."

He runs out the door and down the hall into the room he shares with his brother Charlie. Turning, I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror; a thirty-six year old woman, with 4 children, and a husband in jail.

My hair isn't too grey, my skin is still mostly smooth, only a few worry lines to give away my age, and even after having 4 boys I'm still fit, and mostly firm, though I have to work at it now, unlike when I was younger.

Still, apparently I'm a catch, the single dads at my sons' schools always stare when I enter a room, but I still wear my wedding rings, not a day has gone by without them on my finger, and without him on my mind.

I sigh again, speaking aloud to my reflection, "Another Christmas to get through without him. Maybe next year things will be different."

****Sam POV**  
**I take down the picture from the slat of the top bunk, the most recent picture of Bell and my boys, fingering the edges of it gently, I let myself say aloud, "You don't know it yet, but I'm coming home baby."

The sun is barely peeking through the cloud cover, Paul sits on his bunk in the cell across from mine, he asks quietly, "Are you ready?"

I nod, "You?"

A grin splits his face, "Oh yeah… I can't fuckin wait to see my girl, see my kid. And I _**know**_ that you can't wait to have some private time with Bella. At least I got some conjugals in the last 6 years."

I roll my eyes at him, "Yeah, I guess you were just lucky that you only had one kid at home for your girl to worry about."

He looks at me with sympathy, "I know it's been rough for you Sam. Only getting to see your boys once a month each, missing Johnny's whole life to date, never being able to touch them except for the hugs and kisses at the beginning and end of each visit. It's been rough for me too, but not as rough as it was for you. Have you thought about it? What you're going to do about the club once we're out?"

Ah, the club. If I'm honest the Pack has been at the back of my priorities list for the last 6 years, Brady was running it in my absence, and really, I'm not sure that I want to go back to it. Brady had also kept Uley Construction going, he had made sure that my wife, and my boys were taken care of while I was stuck in this cage.

Taking a deep breath, I look at Paul, and answer, "Honestly, I think I'm done with that life, Brother. I've missed 6 years of my kids' lives. Sam Jr. was 8 when I came in here, Trent was 7, Little Charlie was only 5, and Bella had just found out the week before that she was pregnant with Johnny. Now all of my boys but Johnny are in double digits, I know that the guys and Charlie have been teaching them how to be men, but that's MY job! I want to be there for them, I don't want to miss anymore. My time with The Pack, I think it's over, Brother. I do not want to miss any more of my kids' lives for that."

Paul looks like he wants to say something, but before he does the guards come for us, "Uley, Dixon! Lets go!"

I put the picture in my pocket as we wait for the doors of our cells to open, stepping forward we hold our hands out, and the guards put the shackles on us for the last time. We follow him through the halls down into the sub-basement where they give you your outgoing physical, a little psychological workup, and finally give you back your personal effects and let you go out the door and up the stairs to the release area.

Another guard comes in and they take Paul and I into separate examination rooms. The door closes and I sit on the exam table, waiting for the doctor to come in. The guard is a nice one, he smiles and makes chit chat, "So you and Dixon are out today? You looking forward to a family Christmas?"

I smile, "Hell yeah I am. My wife and kids don't even know that I'm coming, my brother and my father in law are putting it all together."

He nods, "That sounds real nice for them, and for you. Your wife had a baby while you were in here didn't she?"

I answer, "Yeah, she had just found out she was pregnant the week before I got arrested."

He's about to say something when the doctor comes in, blonde, too pretty for a place like this. She reads the chart aloud as she walks in, "Samuel Uley, age 44, height 6'5, weight 250, being released today?"

I nod as she looks up at me, "Yes ma'am"

She smiles, "congratulations, I'm honestly just going to do a quick once over on you, make sure you don't have lice, and then send you on your way."

I nod, and she asks, "Do you have any medical complaints?"

Shaking my head, I answer, "Nope. I haven't been in an altercation in 4 years, people pretty much just let me be, and I do the same for them."

She nods, "I guess people would give the guy who popped another guys eye like a grape a wide berth."

I shrug, and she comes to my side, "Lean down please, I need to see your scalp."

I do as asked, and feel the teeth of a comb running over my scalp as she checks me for parasites. Finally she stops, "Okay, well you don't seem to have anything wrong with you physically. How do you feel about release? Are you anxious at all about returning to society?"

While she was talking she's taken a few steps back, and she concentrates on my face as I answer, "I'm excited about my release, and I'm anxious to get back to society. I'm not unsure or scared, I have no intention of going back to the things that got me in here in the first place. All I want in the world is to kiss my wife, hug my sons, and return to my legitimate business. It's Christmas Eve, and I'm going home. I'm very, very happy."

The doc smiles, "Good for you Uley, I hope you keep that mentality."

She turns to the guard, "I'm done with him, you can take him out."

She leaves the room first, and I follow the guard out and down the hall into a room where a female guard waits with the package of my effects. The guard takes my shackles off and leaves back down the hall as the guard behind the counter says, "Sign please."

I sign the form on the package and she tears it open, emptying out the clothes I came in wearing, and my sneakers, along with my rings. The first item I pick up is my wedding ring, I look at it, reading the engraving on the inside, '_Love that lasts forever, SB 07/10/13'_

I can feel the tears stinging my eyes, as I slip the ring on my left ring finger, shaking it off I take a breath and let it out, regaining my composure. The guard speaks again, "All accounted for. I'll step out so you can change."

She leaves the cage, I know I'm on camera as I strip down and hurriedly pull my clothes on, dark jeans and a white tee shirt, slipping on my sneakers I fold the jail clothes neatly and leave them on the counter. The outtake guard comes back into the cage and takes them, smiling lightly as she says, "Good luck."

The door at the end of the hall buzzes and I go through it meeting a guard who walks up with me to the release area where Paul already waits. He grins and we embrace patting each other on the back and enjoying the feel of freedom already.

Paul's wife and his daughter come into the room, his daughter yells, "Daddy!", and runs into his arms. Paul scoops her up, hugging her tight and covering her face with light kisses, "Baby girl! It's so good to hold you like this!"

His wife stays a little to the side letting her daughter have the moment, she knows there will be plenty for her later on. She sees me, and gives me a curt nod. I nod back as Brady walks in.

We grin at each other and meet in the middle bro hugging and slapping each other on the back. He pulls back to look at me, "Damn! You got ripped, Bro!"

I shrug, "Well you know what they say, only thing to do in prison is work out and count time."

Brady looks at me anxiously, "So, uh, what now? Do you have to get set up with a parole officer or something?"

I shake my head, "No, we haven't been paroled, we're done, our time is served. Thank you overcrowding, good behavior, and most of all Jasper Whitlock!"

A shadow seems to cloud Brady's mood, and his laugh sounds halfhearted as he says, "Yeah, right. That's great, so you're really back man…"

I know what's bothering him, Paul and I being out, me being **back** as he put it, it changes things with The Pack. Brady was only ever meant to be a seat-holder… and he knew it. I meant what I said to Paul, I really do not intend to go back to The Pack, but at the same time I know that making a big decision before I'm even out the doors is a bad move. Better to get settled in first and go from there. Plus, it'll be good for the kid to stew a little.

I shrug, "I guess I am… I'm not really thinking about that right now though. I just want to get to Charlie's cabin, and see the look on Bella, and my boys' faces when I walk through the door!"

Brady laughs, "It's gonna be epic, she has no idea man."

****Meanwhile Bella POV**  
**Heading into the kitchen, I get out the makings for bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches, and start to get breakfast ready for my boys as they make their way to the table. I roll my eyes a little as I take in their loose definitions of 'dressed for Grandpa's', Sam is wearing baggy black jeans, and an oversized white t-shirt that I'm pretty sure belongs to his dad, Trent, my thirteen year old, is wearing flannel pajama pants and a metal bands t-shirt along with a knitted hat over his slightly longer than jaw length hair, and my eleven year old Charlie, and six year old Johnny are both still wearing their pajamas.

While I continue making eggs, I address my boys, "Sam, khakis instead of jeans, I want you in a shirt that fits you, and if that's Daddy's shirt I want it back in the dresser you found it in. Trent, real pants, and a shirt that isn't going to make Grandpa roll his eyes at you please? Charlie, and Johnny, go back to your room, and I want you both in the clothes I laid out for you last night. Your bags are all packed and in your closets, bring them out and put them by the door please?"

Charlie and Johnny get up and go back to their room, Trent eyes me balefully, before the groan, "Awww, Mom! Grandpa likes Death By Plankton just as much as I do!"

I can't help but smile at that one, picturing my mid fifties retired Chief of Police father listening to Death By Plankton with his thirteen year old grandson and pretending he likes it just as much as Trent does, but my voice is firm as I reply, "March, Trent!"

He stomps glumly out of the kitchen, and Sam speaks up, "Do I have to put Dad's shirt back, Momma?"

Sighing sadly, I acquiesce, "No, tuck it in your bag and wear it as a night shirt. We all miss Daddy, Sam."

His lower lip sticks out, and I take the eggs off the burner putting them on a plate before I cross over to him, and put my arms around him, "Don't cry honey. You'll see Dad soon."

He takes a deep breath, "I know, but not on Christmas, not for years."

The tears sting my eyes, the jail doesn't have visiting hours on Christmas, a fact that really grated my nerves. There isn't anything I can do about it though, except to miss my husband just as much as our boys do. So I just hold my boy, and whisper, "I know Sammy, and guess what?"

He looks up at me questioningly, and I answer, "It sucks for me too."

He laughs, "Mom! You said 'sucks'!"

I laugh with him, "I know, I figured that would make you smile. I love you honey. Go get changed. Check on your brothers' for me too. Breakfast will be ready in 5 minutes."

He goes back down the hall, and I hear him talking and laughing with his brothers a few minutes later as I get the sandwiches together, and 5 minutes later the four of them come back looking much better than before, and carrying their bags with them.

They set the bags by the door, and I hand them their sandwiches, "There are small orange juice boxes in the fridge for you guys, help yourselves and I'll be ready to go in a few minutes."

Heading back to my room, I go into my closet and grab my bag, a week at Dad's cabin will be good for all of us, Dad will take the boys fishing and hunting with Embry, and with the exception of tonight with Sam's brother coming up I won't have to worry about Pack members, some that I really don't know stopping by to 'pay their respects'. I don't mind it when Jake, Brady, or even Seth stop by to see how we're doing, but the new guys have a tendency to leer, and I don't like how they call my boys 'son'.

Turning to the nightstand, I look at the picture from mine and Sam's wedding day, we both had huge smiles on our faces, I had found out I was pregnant with Sam Jr. the week before, and I was wearing a short white leather dress with white knee high boots and a veil, while Sam was wearing blue jeans, a black dress shirt, boots, and his cut. It had truly been one of the happiest days of my life.

Refusing to let the tears fall down my face, I grab my keys off the dresser, and make my way back to the kitchen. Sam and Trent look at me, and Trent says, "We did the dishes for you Momma."

I smile at them, "Thanks you guys. Finish your sandwiches, and then I want everyone ready to head out the door in 10 minutes! It's a two hour drive to Grandad's cabin, and I want to get their before noon!"

The inevitable scramble for hand held gaming devices and music players begins, the boys all grabbing their backpacks and throwing in the essential accessories for a week out of touch with the rest of society.

Finally we make it out the door, and the fight for who gets which seat begins. Sam helps me load the bags into the back of our old station wagon, and gets in the front seat as he claims is his right as the eldest since Daddy isn't with us. Trent gets the back row to himself, and Johnny and Charlie finally get themselves settled in the middle, everyone has a window, everyone's happy.

I start the car, and look at them in the rearview mirror, "Last call to use the bathroom before we get on the road! I'm telling you guys, we're not going to stop for food or anything, so if you need something before we get on the road you had better tell me now!"

Trent speaks up, "Mom, do you think the lake up there is frozen?"

I shake my head, "No, but there's an ice rink about 10 miles away and Grandpa already has hockey gear up there for all of you."

They let out a collective cheer and I finally pull out onto the road.

****Time skip later that evening, Sam POV**  
**Brady and I had left Paul and his family at the jail, Paul's parting words had stuck with me, 'Don't make any big decisions until after you've spoken to Bella. Don't make any life altering changes until you've both gotten things out of your system.'

He had a point. Brady took me to the mall, and I spent 5 hours fighting the Christmas Eve insanity and blowing money picking out the latest and greatest for my boys and my wife. I bought Bella jewelry, makeup, lingerie, clothes, whatever I could think of to try to make up for 6 years of missed birthdays, Christmas's, and anniversaries. I bought my boys new hockey gear, clothes, toys, music gift cards, and all the newest gaming devices, feeling only a little upset when Brady had to remind me that I had two teenaged boys now and even my little guy wasn't so little anymore.

I know that things weren't going to make them forgive and forget that I had missed the last 7 years of their lives, or basically his whole life in John's case, but I had the money, and I needed to do something. Needed to feel like I wasn't going to them empty handed with nothing to offer them.

What if Bella didn't love me anymore? I knew she hadn't strayed, the guys were always watching, they would have known, Embry said she never even took her rings off her finger, not even when the hospital demanded it when she was in labor with John. They had threatened to cut them off, and Jake told me that Bella had told them that she would walk out and give birth in the parking lot if they tried.

But not straying, didn't mean that she still loved me, I had been inside for 6 years, and even though I saw her every week, even though we wrote letters and spoke on the phone, my time with her had always been overshadowed by the time with the boys. She always said that they were most important.

Now we pull just to the edge of the driveway of the cabin, no one would see the car from the house. Brady puts on the fake wire rimmed glasses, adjusting the snowy white beard, and the wig before putting on the hat, which puts the finishing touches on his Santa outfit. Sam Jr had stopped believing 2 years ago, I remembered the letter from my son telling me that even though he didn't believe anymore that he wouldn't ruin it for his brothers.

Brady looks at me, "You ready, Bro?"

I nod, getting out of the car and going up the path to sit in the rocking chair in the darkest corner of the porch of Charlie's cabin, if Bella looked out she wouldn't see me. Brady takes the large red velvet sack full of gifts out of the trunk and goes to the door.

****Bella POV**  
**I hear the car pull up to the edge of the driveway, and call the boys into the kitchen so that they won't look out the window and see Uncle Brady putting on his Santa suit. I had been kind of surprised when he offered to do that, but figured it would make the holiday for at least Charlie and Johnny. Charlie was on the verge of not believing anymore at age 11, but he could still enjoy it enough to make it worthwhile.

I hand each of them their own personalized gingerbread boy cookie, and that's when the bells start jingling, and a loud knock on the door sounds along with "Ho ho ho!"

Johnny is the first to yell, "SANTA! Mommy! Santa's here!"

Smiling I go to the door, pausing to ask the boys, "Should I let him in?"

Trent and Sam are smiling their too cool for Christmas smiles, but they chant along with their younger brothers, "Let him in! Let him in!"

I laugh, and open the door, letting in my brother in law in a very very good Santa suit, hell if it wasn't for the green eyes I would believe it was actually the man. Dad had gone all out decorating for the boys, determined to give them a Christmas to remember even without Sam.

The tree was huge and fully decorated, stockings were hung along the mantel, and the old rocking chair was situated by the fireplace with a table next to it where I had placed the rest of the cookies.

Brady comes into the room, and goes over to the boys, "Merry Christmas! And who do I have here? Samuel, Trent, Charlie, and John Uley! It's so good to see you boys! I have a lot of presents for you here!"

Johnny and Charlie are looking at him in awe, as he booms another "Ho ho ho! Don't you boys want your presents?"

They nod, and go closer to him as he sits in the chair. He pulls out a piece of old looking paper and gives it a once over, "Now let's just see whether you boys have made the naughty list, or the nice list."

He pours over the paper, and I have to give it to Brady, he's really selling this, "Ah yes, here we go! Samuel Uley Jr. is always quick to help his mother, and gives her hardly any trouble at all, Nice list! Trent Uley likes metal music and black clothing, but gets good grades in school and always sticks up for kids who get picked on and his little brothers, Nice list!"

He pretends to not find Charlie's name for a minute, "What's this? Charlie are you not on the nice list?"

Charlie looks panicked for a second, before Brady continues, "Ah, no, here we are, Charlie Uley is the best player on his hockey team, and not only for the goals he scores, but for the goals that he assists others to score, a true team player, Nice list! And last, but not least Johnny Uley, like your brother Charlie you're the best player on your peewee hockey team, and also on your peewee football team! I hear that you're always looking after the strays in the neighborhood too, Nice list! Well, well, a fine family of four nice boys! I don't think I brought you good enough presents."

There's a twinkle in his eye at this point, and I'm actually a little worried about what he has up his sleeve, oh God, please don't let him give them an animal, please don't let him give them an animal!

He smiles at me, and drops a wink which almost has me groaning as he says, "You know something? I think I left a really _**big**_ present on the porch. I want you all to close your eyes, this present is a surprise. So close them tight, and no peeking! If you peek the present might disappear!"

I start to follow him to the porch, and he stops me, "Ah, ah, ah! Not so fast Mommy! Go over and sit in Santa's seat, and make sure that you close your eyes too!"

I start to argue, and Sam Jr. grabs my hand, "Mom! Come sit!"

Letting out a worried sigh I let my son lead me to the chair and I pull Johnny onto my lap as I close my eyes. Brady calls back, "Keep them closed!"

The door opens again, letting in a breath of cold wintry air, Brady booms, "Yes, yes, yes, one last best present for 4 nice boys and their momma! Keep those eyes closed!"

A presence is over me, it's one of those moments where I wish that Sam and Brady weren't so similar, because with my eyes closed, I can almost picture Sam standing above me.

Cold hands grasp my face, and my eyes pop open, as they move down to my shoulders and pull me up into familiar strong arms, as I gasp, "Sam!"

Four boys scream, "Daddy!" and I'm engulfed in a warm soft kiss, as both of us are taken down to our knees by our sons jumping on us wrapping their arms around us, our family whole and intact once again.

We break the kiss, not taking our arms from around each other, and I realize that they are not all my own tears running down my face, Sam has tears streaming down his face, but like me, they are happy tears judging by the thousand watt grin on his face, as he says, "Merry Christmas, Baby!"

My hands stroke up into his hair, and back down over his broad shoulders, and I ask the question, "Are you really here? Please, please tell me this isn't a dream, Sam. I don't think that I could handle waking up in an empty bed and finding out that you're still gone."

He cups my face, sorrow and love in his eyes, as he whispers, "It's real Baby. I promise you, I'm right here, no dream."

There's a sharp sudden pain in my arm, and I yell, "Ouch!"

Turning I see a slyly grinning Jr, "Sorry Mom, just wanted to prove the point."

Sam chuckles, "Good one, Son."

He smiles, but it falters, and he asks worriedly, "Do you have to go back? Is this, is this only for Christmas?"

The younger boys erupt at that, Johnny wails and his arms tighten around Sam's neck, as he bawls out, "I don't want Daddy to leave again!"

Sam rubs his back soothingly, and he makes his way to the chair, sitting down with Johnny in his lap, as Charlie, Trent, and Sam Jr crowd around him. He somehow manages to gather all 4 of them to him, as he says, "I promise all of you, I'm not leaving again."

My dad comes in then, smiling a not so secret smile, and I catch his eye, mouthing, 'thank you', as he says, "Sam! How did you get here?"

Sam winks at him, as he says, "A jolly old guy in a sleigh picked me up, I was released early for good behavior, I was lucky he came along, otherwise I would have missed out on another Christmas with my boys."

Sam Jr. looks up, "Hey? Where did Santa go?"

Sam looks around, and laughs a little, as he says, "I guess he had to get on to the next house, buddy."

Jr. looks torn, and I feel sad for him, sad to watch the last remnants of my son's childhood fighting to believe, finally he shrugs, pulls on his fourteen year olds' cloak of too cool, and replies, "Yeah, hopefully his reindeer didn't crap all over the driveway!"

Sam laughs, and I scold, "Watch your language, Sam!"

Trent interrupts then, "He left his sack of presents! Do you think these are all for us?"

Sam adjusts Johnny on his lap, and smiles a little, "You know, I think he did say that he had a lot to deliver up here, why don't you bring the bag over to me, Son."

Feeling unbelievably happy, I laugh, "Yes! Daddy gets to play Santa this year!"

My dad comes over and wraps his arm around my shoulders, as Trent brings the bag over to Sam. Sam maneuvers the bag with slight difficulty, as Trent sits down on the floor with Charlie, and Sam Jr, and Dad speaks up, "Johnny, why don't you sit on the floor with your brothers so Daddy can hand you presents."

Johnny balks, "No! I wanna stay with Daddy!"

Sam smiles at him indulgently, and says, "Alright, Buddy, alright. No one's gonna make you move. How bout this? You can be Santa's helper, and hand me the gifts, and I'll hand them out. Does that sound good?"

Johnny nods, and reaches in and hands him the first gift. Sam takes it, and says, "This one's for Momma, come on over here and get your gift, Momma!"

Laughing, I go over and reach for the gift, "Santa shouldn't have! He's already given me the best gift I could ever ask for!"

He takes my hand and pulls me closer leaning in to kiss me, softly, pulling back and saying, "I love you Bella. It's good to be home."

I smile at him, feeling my heart skip a beat in my chest, and tears sting my eyes, as I answer, "I love you too Sam. I'm so happy to have you home."

**The scene fades out, Mother and Father gazing into each other's eyes, Children looking on barely able to contain their excited happiness, and Grandfather smiling at the scene from across the room. A family whole, and intact, a father finally home for the holidays.**

******The End*****


End file.
